The bright spot on your Sunday show was Steve
Forbes dumping on the GOP/Clinton budget. If you review the show, you will be
reminded of a very insightful thing that George Will said about campaign
finance — when he said a simplified tax system would solve the problem of
citizens having to buy tax favors with huge campaign contributions. He, of
course, is absolutely right. The 84-year old tax code is totally out of
control, in the sense that it now contains so many exceptions, loopholes and
subsidies that every special interest that feels it is being disadvantaged by
not having a big enough exception, loophole or subsidy must make major
contributions to candidates in both parties to adjust the disadvantage in the
next tax bill. I talked to Bob Torricelli the other day about this when he
said he hoped Congress could do something serious about campaign finance
reform — this from a man who spent his last years in the House almost
constantly on the phone and on the road raising money for his Senate campaign.
I told him it is not possible to write a reform that will stop people from
buying tax favors that will mean their life or death. Every year, I said,
members of Congress introduce legislation to tax casino gambling, and Steve
Wynn & Co. immediately schedule a fundraiser for Democrats and one for
Republicans, and the legislation is shelved. That's how silly and corrupt the
system has become. Only tax reform can solve the problem. It is a hopeless
task to even discuss campaign finance as it will never, ever happen. Even if
the government shoulders all the costs of campaigns, people will still find
ways to buy influence in both executive and legislative branches. At least
with a tax system that starts from scratch, everyone is on an equal footing,
and the number of people needing exemptions, loopholes or subsidies drops from
millions to thousands. In another 80 years or so, the same problem will repeat
itself.

P.S. Your roundtable is much too long. And neither Kristol nor
Stephanopolous have anything interesting to say. Tony Snow has the best
roundtable, Russert okay, but yours is weak, which would not be so noticeable
if it were not so extended.